Passing Along Much More than a Purple Heart

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[news]

Did you know Friday was ?#?PurpleHeartDay?. I sure didn't until I saw it on Twitter that evening.

Growing up, I hated telling people my middle name. Emmett.

Who has that name? Why in the world did my parents name me that?

Adolescent worries about being picked on. Insecurity at its finest.

Why wasn't it Thomas? Or Matthew?

Well it was Emmett because of my Great Uncle Emmett Marvin Warnica.

A WWII Vet. Purple Heart recipient. Greatest generation type.

One of my biggest regrets in life is hating that middle name. No one knew I did. But I did.

My feelings changed pretty quickly though when Uncle Emmett passed away when I was 12.

It rocked me. No way. He couldn't be gone.

Even then, I knew I had missed an opportunity of a lifetime. Sure I was young, immature, whatever. But I missed it.

He was gone.

But he left me two things. His name. And his Purple Heart.

Not only the Purple Heart but the silver dollar he carried in his pocket every day of WWII. His good luck charm he called it.

He was wounded severely in that war. Severely enough to earn a Purple Heart.

But he came home. Perhaps because of that silver dollar.

From what I hear, he was an incredible man. The best kind of man that loved his God, his wife, his family, his country.

It's too bad I was too worried about someone else's opinion of my name Emmett to get to know the real Emmett.

He left one more thing for me. A note. On it, in old school blue cursive, he wrote:

To Justin Emmett

The Purple Heart was presented to me by the War Department for being wounded on March 22, 1945 during World War Two.

The Silver Dollar: I carried this silver dollar with me during World War Two. I called it my good luck charm. May this same silver dollar bring good luck to you.

Signed: Great Uncle Emmett Warnica

Uncle Emmett - I can't take back those young, immature years. But I can leave a few things like you did for me.

My son, Silas Emmett is named after you. Me too I guess. But mostly you.

Silas, you may hate your middle name for awhile but that's OK.

You may not want to read the stuff I write for awhile but that's OK too.

You may keep this silver dollar in this shadow box and not your pocket, but may it bring you the same good luck it has already brought me.



You are named after a good man Silas Emmett. The best kind of man.

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